How did I become a public speaker?

My public speaking adventure began during my final year of college. I had been teaching Emergency Medical Response courses through my university’s EMS unit, and I loved being able to share what I had learned with others. I was also leading student workshops and discussion sessions on body positivity and mental health, and the opportunity arose to give a presentation on re-imagining body positivity at a national conference. Excited to teach and learn with others, I accepted the invitation.

Since then, I have given plenary talks, research presentations, keynote addresses, and been part of panel discussions at conferences and symposia across the United States. The topics of these presentations have ranged from navigating the world as a Latine nonbinary person, to LGBTQ+ health in EMS, to how a lived experience of mental health stigma is generated for LGBTQ+ undergraduate students. I have discovered a certain joy and liberation in being able to share my story, my work, and my experiences with others in the hope of creating a more empathetic world.